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ICAR-CMFRI hosts NICRA review meeting headed by DDG (NRM), ICAR

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI), Kochi hosted the review meeting of the research works of various fisheries research institutes and state agricultural universities under the fisheries component of the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) of ICAR on 11th March 2023.The meeting was chaired by Dr S K Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (Natural Resources Management) of the ICAR. He emphasised the need for finding scientific solutions to the impacts of climate change on food producing sectors, including fisheries. He pointed out that increase in temperature and heat waves are leading to disruption of groundwater behaviour posing threat to agriculture and allied sectors. He also said that assessing ecological losses is equally important while studying the impact of climate change on the food sector.Dr B Venkateswarlu, Chairman of the NICRA Expert Committee urged scientists to focus on technological innovations and contributions to policy interventions during the time of climate change. Innovative technologies would help fishermen to sustain their livelihood during cyclones, heavy rainfalls and other extreme weather conditions, he said.Dr K K Vass, member of the NICRA Expert Committee said that there is a need for segregating the positive impacts of cyclones which support regional increase in production. The loss occurring in coastal communities like in the case of infrastructure damage and the loss in fishing days owing to extreme weather events such as storm-surge should be treated separately. In addition, studies on disruption of marine ecosystem services should also be carried out, Dr Vaas added.Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director of ICAR-CMFRI said the under the NICRA project the Institute has found India’s carbon emission from marine fisheries at the national level is lower than that of global figure. The sector emits 1.32 t of CO2 (carbon dioxide) to produce one tonne of fish, much lower than the global figures of more than 2t of carbon emission per tonne of fish. Viewing that the NICRA project assumes significance as it helps to provide innovative solutions to a range of issues emanating from climate change, he further stated that the support of the project helped quicken the pace of ICAR-CMFRI’s research activities in India’s marine fisheries.Principal Investigators of the NICRA project from ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi; ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai; ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute (CIFRI), Barrackpore; ICAR-Directorate of Coldwater Fisheries Research (DCFR), Bhimtal; ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Lucknow; Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University; and Bihar Animal Sciences University presented the status of their research works at the meeting.ICAR-CMFRI’s presentation pointed out that increased intensity of cyclones, sea level rise, and warming of the Indian Ocean have led to changes in marine ecosystems among many others, causing depletion of some fishes and the emergence of some other varieties. The Institute identified cyclone proneness, flood proneness, shoreline changes, heat wave and sea level rise as the major hazards that make coastal lives in peril. Works on a Coastal Climate Risk Atlas that marks areas of risks including hazards and vulnerabilities in all coastal districts in India, are in progress.Headed by DDG, ICAR, a team of experts including Dr B Venkateswarlu, Dr K K, Dr V K Singh, Director of Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), and Dr M Prabhakar, Principal Investigator of the NICRA, ICAR reviewed the research works. 

ICAR-ICMFRI Turns 75; Launches Year-Long Anniversary Celebration Campaign

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) turned 75 years on 3rd February 2022.  On the occasion, the institute kick-started one-year-long campaign that includes various activities to mark the platinum jubilee celebrations.Established in 1947, the ICAR-CMFRI has been playing a pivotal role in stewarding India’s marine fishery resources since its inception. Over the past seven and half decades, the CMFRI which joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 1967, has grown significantly in size and stature emerging as a leading tropical marine fisheries research hub in the world. 

During the foundation day celebration, Dr J K Jena, Deputy Director General of the ICAR was the chief guest. He urged the CMFRI scientists to prioritise their focus of research in accordance with the urgent need of the society and the nation. “The Central Government is focusing on strengthening mariculture based alternative livelihood options like seaweed farming, marine ornamental fish culture etc. This would offer better livelihood option to the coastal communities and thereby supporting the country’s economy”, he said.Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director of ICAR-CMFRI said that the institute broadened its objectives by diversifying towards potentially rewarding arenas such as mariculture, genetic and biotechnological applications. Keeping tab of the changes in the sector, research on climate change and bioprospecting will also be strengthened, he said.

Elaborating on the future plan of the institute, Dr Gopalakrishnan further said: “Given that mariculture is going to be a game changer in ensuring future fish production and also in providing income and employment security for coastal fishers, the ICAR-CMFRI will focus on precision mariculture with the aid of smart tools and automation with Artificial Intelligence (AI)”. Apart from this, a number of emerging areas of importance include marine environment management, marine biodiversity research, marine spatial planning, species identification and description, marine pollution research, fish disease diagnosis and control, resource monitoring and assessment, socioeconomics and so on, he added.

The logo for the year-long celebration was unveiled on the occasion. A theme song also was released.                         

ICAR-CMFRI Wins Two ICAR Awards

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has won national recognition with the institute bagging two national-level awards instituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The ICAR-CMFRI won the Best Annual Report award (2020) in the category of ICAR large institutes while Dr Anusree M, a Ph D scholar at CMFRI bagged the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for PG Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences for 2021. The annual report contains key information on the institute’s research activities and outputs in a year.  This is the second time within seven years the CMFRI’s annual report is selected as the national best.

Dr Anusree was designated for the award for her doctoral thesis on the topic ‘Characterization and Evaluation of Small Molecular Bioactives and Polysaccharides from the Phaeophytic Marine Macroalga Sargassum wightii (family Sargassaceae) as Defense Metabolites against Oxidative Stress-Induced Diseases’. Her research works involved in developing potential pharmacophores and nutraceuticals with anti-dyslipidemic, anti-diabetic, and anti-hypertensive activities from seaweeds, under the guidance of Dr Kajal Chakraborty, Principal Scientist of CMFRI. The award includes a cash prize of Rs. 50,000, citation, certificate, and a silver medal.

The ICAR- CMFRI was selected for the awards from among 114 institutes in India under the ICAR.  The institute had won the Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR institutions award, the highest award of the ICAR, in 2020.

The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has won the first position in the latest ranking of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in the category of Fisheries and Animal Science institutes in the country. The Institute also secured the third position in the ranking of the 93 institutes under all divisions of Crop Science, Horticultural Science, Natural Resource Management, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Science and Fisheries Science.  The ranking was based on research and other activities of the institutes during 2019-2021. 

Also, the CMFRI ranked the highest in the ICAR institutes headquartered in Kerala. “This achievement is seen as a recognition for collective efforts of the CMFRI family in research and development activities for the sustainable growth of the country’s marine fisheries”, said Director Dr A Gopalakrishnan. In addition, attempts to popularise mariculture activities like cage fish and seaweed farming, technology development for breeding of commercially important fishes, research initiatives to develop nutraceutical products from marine organisms, efforts for making relevant policies, studies on socio-economics of the sector and extension activities among many others have helped CMFRI to achieve this feat, he said.Kochi headquartered CMFRI has regional research centres in Veraval, Karwar, Mangalore, Kozhikode, Vizhinjam, Chennai, Tuticorin, Mandapam, Visakhapatnam and Digha.  

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